The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-06-03
IAN OBSCURE HEROINE.
A Scene I'm the SIum-; One Bright Spo,
Purity

A Scene I'm the SIums; One Bright Spot of
Purity.
You pass through a hideous London
slum; the oil lamps flare and flicker in
the wind, the hoarse hawkers shrek. tn Q
ragged children cry -hr lily, and from the
puhllc houses come the confused babble.
OF laughter and cursing and the rank
watts of acrid smoke.
Blowzy women, draggled women,
brazen women, drunken women, pass
you; ugly male nghtbirds scowI at you
with savage eyes; foul mouthed young
glris-meIe children, alas salute YOU
with tmpudent confidence, and the
night is full of rank odors and bleared
lights.
You enter a narrow alley. watching
carefully the manGuvres OF the skulk-
Ing creatures who Slouch around with
bumped shoulders and evil gaze. A
door opens and you are in the midst of
strange assemblage. A bevy of women
gather around some long tables and
watch you with dull curiosity. Here is
one who is pinched with hunger; her
thin fingers are knotty at the joints, her
hair is wofully scanty, and she looks
beaten, bIoodlesS, sorrowful. Here is
bold crea ure who meets your look
with hard brutal stare; she has heard
the chimes at midnight Here is n spec-
linen Of the ordinary dirty, garruious
trollop so freely produced in the wilder
ness of London. Here is a mere female
animal, creature without soul, who
slts callouSly glowering at vacancy
coarse laugh sounds out harshly,
and then quiet voice with the tone Of
mellow bel scars along the low room.
ana Instantly the disorder is stilled.
You move to the head of the room.
ana you are greeted by a haired
woman dressed in black. Her eyeis like
steel, her lips are composed. her fore
head i5 nj cid and bar
the manners of great lady.
she Is iii to mo 6 in any assembly in
the world, and her dignity would draw
the eyes of men and women wherever
she went. Beautiful she has been, and
the exquisite remains OF her fairness re-
mind you OF some splendid building
grown gray with stress of years. When
she speaks you hear that indefiuable ac-
cent which is attained only by those who
live among ultra-retined people from
their earliest years. lady this of the
highest breeding.
You feel as if you were in the presence
OF queen, yet she puts you at ease
Instantly, and falls into conversation
with polished grace.
Witty she Is in a subtle way and her
wat Is so strangely blended with pathos
as 10 present unique product OF intel
lectual chemistry. She knows the world,
ana can tltSn out an occasional speech
WI bliS ~ tA-S SdlOA rather IlGn OF LlIS
Qlngy shed; but the ruling aspect OF her
face and the essential tones of her voice,
are those OF one to whom the affairs OF
the world are of small moment.
She masters the evil aSSemblage in
front OF her, and the b ldest slut that
ever disSraced her sex is reverential to-
ward the grave, kind lady whose will
dominates all. AS you talk, she tells
you OF her work. This refuge Is open
every night for the homeless. and her
duly Is to help those who are poor, to
heal those who are sick, to raise with
loving merciful words and deeds those
who are fallen. None are too base for
this lovely, all eIn bracing charity; and
as she sits there she seems like the
Spirit OF Goodness made flesh.
RomanceS in plenty she can tell, and
she does so with soft matter-of-fact
sweetness. Every form of human
is known to her. and her
eyes are fixed day by day on sights of
woe. Does she ever leave that fearful
quarter Never, Thiuk of that. O dis
pulling fOlS This lady who
was o-ce beautiful, rich, court cd. has
given up ali for the sake of working
beneilcently in the weary world aud
she passes her days in an appalling
London slum. Lords and ladies o. her
own class see her, but they remain only
for little time; she stiVS at her post
'-'- 0'--'b'N--N's sA4ANa DStiLo I44N Nldl-
1r, the eHuui, the iuathsoIne sights and
sounds the recital OF wringing records
)f misery.
Sh" Is content even 10 foreCo her name. !
anu her very identity has peri-Aod from
he br lIiIE, world that once knew her.
- am Si-ie Zlllah, she says, with her
,ourtIy smile, and that is all.
Here is on who is IN honor to Lon
Ion, to England, to the human race, toll
IS opScurely in place where even men
" the better class hardly dare venture.
i Family Herald.